Bottle opener



Sept. 2 1924. 3,597,339

J. F. CRYER BOTTLE QPENER Filed April 4, 19322 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOHN FREDERICK CBYER, OF

BOTTLE Application filed April 4,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J 01m FREDERICK CRYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at 322 South Seventh Avenue, in the city of Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle Openers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the. invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved construction of bottle opening device; and, more particularly, to a simple instrument for removing caps and stoppers from the mouths of bottles normally closed thereby.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a very simple and cheap one-piece sheet metal device which is provided in connection with its periphery with various elements respectively adapted to perform cer tain operations in connection with the removal of bottle closures, e. g. the removal and replacement of paper closure disks from the mouths of milk bottles and similar containers, the removal of binding wires which retain paper covers around milk bottle tops and similar containers, and the removal of crimped metallic sealing caps from bottles. It is also an object of this invention to provide a bottle opening device of the character above specified, which may be easily and quickly manufactured by stamping the same out of sheet metal and which is of a novel one-piece construction so that all necessity for assembling operations is eliminated and consequently a serviceable and useful device may be produced with a minimum expenditure of labor and material, and which by reason of its consequent cheapness may be successfully marketed at an extremely low price, or can be successfully employed as an advertising novelty.

Other objects of this invention, notat this time more particularlyenumerated,will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the novel bottle opening device made according to and embodying the principles of the invention; Fig. 2 is a face view of the same showing the manner of applying the device to the paper closure disc of a milk bottle or the MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

OPENER.

1922. Serial No. 549,496.

like and operating the same to remove said closure disc, the bottle and closure disc being shown in vertical section; Fig. 3 is a face view of the device showing the manner of applying the same to a binding wire to break the same or stretch it for the release of a paper cover from a bottle top; Fig. 4: is a face view of the device showing the manner of applying the same to a crimped metallic bottle seal to effect the separation or removal of the latter from a bottle; Fig. 5 is a perspect-iveview of a slightly modified form of the novel bottle opening device made according to the principle of the invention.

Referring now to the said drawings, the reference character 6 indicates the main body of the device which is preferably stamped out of sheet metal so as to possess a substantially semi-circular or semi-elliptical shape having a straight transverse lower edge 7. Said body 6 may be provided with the opening or perforation 8 adjacent to its upper curved edge, whereby the device may be suspended or hung upon a nail or hook when not in use. Extending clownwardly from said lower edge 7 at a point intermediate the sides of said body 6, and so as to form preferably an integral part of said body 6, is a combined piercing and gripping member comprising a neck or shank 9 terminating in a piercing blade 10 having downwardly converging side edges 11, to form at its free extremity a sharpened spur or piercing point 12. The upper portions of said blade 10 extend laterally outward at each side of said neck or shank 9 and the upper marginal portions of the samev are shaped to provide upwardly bowedor curved arcuate gripping elements 13, which are spaced downwardly from the edge 7, of the main body 6. 0

Preferably the combined piercing and gripping member thus formed is disposed to present its flat faces in the plane of the faces of said body 6 (as shown in Figs. 1 to i inclusive) but if desired the neck or shank 9 may be twisted as shown at 14; in Fig. 5, to dispose the flat faces of said combined piercing and gripplng member 1n a plane at right angles to the plane of said body 6.

Formed in said straight edge 7, at one side of the body 6, and at the juncture of that side of said body with said 'stralght edge 7, is a sharp spur or prying tongue 15. Formed in connectlon with a side edge of said body 6 intermediate its" uppercu'rved top andits straight bottom edge 7 is an indented portion 16 bounded on one side by a hook element or grapple 1 1, which in connection withthe opposed side edge-portion 18 of the body 6, serves to operative'ly engage a crimped metallic bottle seal toexert a lifting pry thereon when separating the seal from its operative closed engagement with the bottle mouth.

As is well known it is the usuai practice to" close the mouths of milk bottles and Silli'ildf Cl lhdllriels' means of 8' Oi card-beard closer-e disc, the margins of which are sprung into an emitter seat teriorl'y disposed with the neck] of the bottle adjaeent to its rhcuth.

Referring to Fig.- 2 1 have a tion of milk bottle 19* having in: its 'ncuth tl'ie'internal annular seat 20 with which aper of cardboard closuredisc 21' may heehgag'e'd' to close the; bottle mouth; In de taehiiig' the closure: disc 21 fromthe bottle mouth; the method most frequently resorted to is to dig out the same with a sharpihstriiinent of some kindsuch as a fork, knife point or the like, with the result that the closure disc is frequently destroyed so that it cannot be satisfactorily used to close the'bottle again, often pouring out a portion of the contents, and furthermore by such method of separation the closure cap is often so suddenly sprung out or released from the" annular seat 20, that the contents of the bottle is splashed out or spilled to the annoyance and inconvenience of the operator.- The present invention is-adapted to provide, among other purposes,- a meansfor easily and quickly removing. the paper closure disc without destroyin thesamc for future use, and without likeliiood of spilling or splashing the contents out of the bottle during the operation.

In utilizing this invention for such purpose, the body 6 is grasped between the thumb and' fingers with the spur or piercingv point 12 downwardly directed towards-the approx imate center of the closure disc to here moved, The operator now thrusts downwardly with the device thereby causing the spur or piercing point to enetrate through the" material of the closure disc until the blade 10 passes entirely therethrough and the straight edge 7 is stopped againstthe .upper side of said closure disc, whereupon the operator gives the device a quarter turn thus positioning the bladelO transversely" across the slot formed by its passage through the closure disc, While at thesame time causing the arcuate gripping elements 13fto engage the under side of the closure disc resp ctively on opposite sidesor said slot:

The device is new locked to the closeiie disc at the o crater by a preper-- lateral swinging" motion may uptilt the closure disc from one edge (as illustrated in Fig. 2) and thereby cause the same to easily springout of the seat 20 for complete separation from the bottle or removal from the bottle of its contents. Inasmuch as the closure disc is locked to the device it follows that the latter serves as ,a handle or finger piece by means of which said closure disc may be manipulated to return the same to closed relation to the said bottle, should it y be so desired to do.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a bottle top 22", covered by a paper wrapping or cover 23, bound in place by an encircling retaining wire 24 In view of the factthat said wire 24- being normally under the shoulder of the lip ofthe bottle top, is not readily accessible, diihieahy is experienced in detach ing the same. In; my-novel device I have provided at a corner thereofja prying spur or tongue 15', which provides a very con venient' means for insertion under such a wire for the purpose of prying the same loose or breaking the same, when manipulated as shown in Fig. 3. a p

In Fig. 4. I have illustrated a bottle 25 closed by the well known crimped metallic seal 26. In connection with myno'vel de'- vice I have provided the hook or grapple 17 for insertion under the crimped edge of said seal so that by bringing the edge portion- 18 against the top edge'of the seal a gripping of the seal may be attained whereby the same may be pried loose from closing re lation to the bottle. a

From the above description it will be apparent that I have provided in my present invention an exceedingly simple instrument adapted to eii'iciently serve various functions relative to the removal of closuresfroin bottles, jars, etc., and one which is easily kept clean and sanitary. I am aware that some changes may be made. in the arrangement and detail construction of the several parts of the device without departing from the scope of the invention as set forthin the:

foregoing specification and as defined iii-the appended claims; Hence I do not limit my inventionto the exact arrangement and detail construction of said parts as above described or as shown drawings.

I. Ari-article for use as a bottle opener, comprising, a partially circular body with a straight edge and having a cutting blade protruding from the-central part of its straight edge, said blade formed with a neck portion and an approximately dartsl1-aped head having arcuateshou-lders spaced proximity to the straight edge of the body, said body having at one end of: its straight edge a notch provid a pryingspunat the juncture of said strai ht edge with the curved edgeof the in the accompanyino:

body for removing a Wire on the neck of the bottle and the body also having on its curved edge a protruding hook-shaped element for detaching caps from bottles, all out and formed from a flat sheet of metal.

2. A combination tool adapted to be used in removing various kinds of bottle closures comprising a body having a straight edge, a cutting blade, a neck portion connecting said cutting blade and straight edge, said blade being shaped approximately like a dart head, said body having at one end of its straight edge a notch comprising a prying spur for removing wire from the neck of a bottle, a hook-shaped protruding element carried by said body on the opposite side thereof from the prying spur and adapted to detach a crimped cap from a bottle, the entire tool being cut and formed from a fiat sheet of metal.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses this third day of April, nineteen hundred and twenty-two.

JOHN FREDERICK CRYER.

Witnesses:

RAE M. WALKER, WILSON E. TIPPLE. 

